


Some Kind of Way

by Bramblepelt



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV, First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:34:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28776138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bramblepelt/pseuds/Bramblepelt
Summary: Prompto has a feeling when his best friend looks at him like that. He's not sure what it is, but it's got him feeling some kind of way.
Relationships: Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 11
Kudos: 70





	Some Kind of Way

**Author's Note:**

> For @fenlitten, who suggested the prompt of Brotherhood Promptis.

The definition of courage is the ability to do something that is scary or frightening. Prompto Argentum had enough courage to fill an Olympic sized swimming pool.

If courage were something that could be measured. And also liquid. And also-

The point is Prompto had a lot of courage, as evidenced by the fact that he engaged in activity every day that scared the ever loving shit out of him. Things like volunteering to answer questions in physics class, engaging in rounds of constructive criticism in the photography club, and hanging out with Prince Noctis.

His friend.

His actual best friend, Prince Noctis.

Or as Prompto liked to call him, Noct.

Six months ago he finally took the plunge, suppressing every instinct in his bones to run and scream into the wilderness and find a decent sized rock to crawl under and die. Instead, he walked up to the Prince of Lucis, slapped him on the arm, and introduced himself like he was anywhere near on the same level of social status.

As if they hadn’t already met five years ago in the most embarrassing and mortifying way possible.

And yet somehow, some way, Noct still wanted to be his friend. Noct wanted to go to the arcade with him. Noct wanted to hang out between classes with him. Noct wanted to share pastries and look at his photos and exchange King’s Knight friend codes.

Noct wanted to

“-come to my apartment to study?” 

Prompto was sure he hadn’t heard that right.

“These exams are gonna kick both our asses, might as well work together and make an attempt to pass, right?” Noct said without looking up from his phone. “I’d rather not get another lecture from Ignis.”

“Oh, uh...yeah? At your apartment. Sure.” Despite the fact that Prompto mostly lived the same way, it still blew his mind that the Prince was just...allowed to live alone. In his own apartment. At fifteen years old. 

And Noct just invited him to come hang out there. With him. Alone.

No big deal. 

“So then, tomorrow? What time?” He asked. His Saturdays were wide open. Not like he had a packed social calendar to flip through.

“Oh, I meant today. After school.” Noct’s eyes flicked up to Prompto, eyebrows raised in a question.

Well. He certainly didn’t have any plans after school either.

“Yeah! That also works, so, your place is...how far away from mine? I could take the bus, or-”

“We can go together right after, and you don’t have to worry about dinner. Ignis made way too much lasagna yesterday and there’s more leftover than I can eat myself.”

That was...certainly convenient. Yeah, go to the Prince’s apartment for a nice fancy dinner.

“And you can also crash there if we go at it for too long. Gods know I’ve got plenty of space.” Noct stretched before leaning back from his desk.

Go to the Prince’s apartment for a fancy dinner and then spend the night if they ‘go at it too long’.

No big deal.

No. Big. Deal.

“Yeah! Sounds great! Count me in.” Prompto smiled with a wink and a thumbs up, his go to ‘I am a cool happy go lucky guy’ gesture. A very well practiced gesture.

Noctis seemed to study Prompto’s face for a moment, before smiling back. 

He did that often. And every time it made Prompto feel some kind of way.

He was still trying to figure out which direction that way was headed.

The bell ringing meant it was time for them to part for the length of one class. Lucian Literature for him, Gym for Noct. Like he didn’t get enough of that at the Citadel, training in sword fighting and warping. Man, he'd love to see that some time. 

The more he tried to focus on the quiz in front of him, the easier his mind seemed to slip away into other topics. Like lasagna. And Noct’s apartment. And being alone with Noct in Noct’s apartment.

‘What was the symbolic meaning of the optometrist’s billboard?’

There was a billboard in the story?

Man, he really did need to study.

\---

“You can dump your bag over there, you thirsty?” Noct asked as they walked past the guard outside his door and into the foyer. This had to be the nicest apartment Prompto had ever seen. Granted, he’d only ever seen two before now. But the statement was still true. This place was amazing, and he wasn’t even through the threshold yet.

“Oh, uh, sure. Water is good.” Prompto replied, before considering the implications that he just asked the Prince of Lucis to get him a glass of water.

Your friend. He’s not the Prince, he’s your friend. That’s how you treat him, that’s why he likes you. Friends offer water and stuff when you visit them. This is normal. This is good. He happily took the glass, it was such a nice glass. 

It’s just a cup, Prompto, dial it back.

The water did however taste amazing. Maybe he had a really good filter. Maybe the tap water was better on this side of town. 

Maybe he was just super thirsty from the long walk here.

“So, what did you want to get started...on...Noct?” Prompto observed as Noct began turning on a number of electronics. Television (large, and very flat), surround sound system, a game console, and retrieved two controllers from a space in the entertainment center.

“We just got here, come on, we should unwind a little before we dive right into it.” Noct extended one of his hands, holding the limited edition Ezio wrap controller towards him. “Plus, I’ve been dying to find someone to play Borderlands with. Single player isn’t as fun.”

Yes. Video games. A very normal activity for two friends to do together. 

Prompto gladly accepted the controller and took a seat on the couch, continuing his attempt to keep up the ‘very cool guy’ facade.

The game was fun, one he’d heard about but never played himself. Very cartoony, a lot of action, easy to lose track of time in.

Before he knew it, three hours had somehow passed them by. And still no studying.

“Man, I’m starving. Let’s order some pizza.” Noct paused the game and started tapping at his phone. 

Wait, weren’t they going to eat leftover lasagna? 

“Uh, I didn’t bring any cash…” Prompto cringed.

“What? Why...oh, no you don’t need to pay anything. You’re the guest. My treat. Any toppings you prefer?”

Oh this was not okay. There was no way he could let Noctis start spending money on him. That was not a good look on his part.

“Seriously, you don’t have to go to the trouble. Lasagna is fine!” He tried to sound as excited as possible for day old lasagna that certainly would not reheat well.

“Yeah, I remembered Iggy tried to hide zucchini in it. I don’t feel like giving him the satisfaction of finishing that.” Prompto saw Noct add a large pepperoni to his cart. “Buy one get one free today. What toppings you want?”

Okay, this was happening.

“I’m down for a plain cheese.” He hoped that came off as genuine, because it was.

“Come on Prom, it’s a free pizza, what do you want on it?”

“....cheese. I like plain cheese pizza.” It was the truth! Cheese pizza, all on it’s own, was great! Bread, sauce, and cheese, what more could he want? 

Noctis gave him that look again. The ‘some kind of way’ look. “Okay.” He added the cheese pizza, then stood up to stretch before finishing the checkout. “Getting a soda, want one?” He asked on his way to the kitchen.

“Uh, sure!” Prompto called after him. He didn’t really drink soda that often, anymore at least. But what the hell, one or two every now and then wouldn’t hurt.

Noctis returned, his phone back in his pocket and two soda cans in his hands. He sat back down, next to Prompto. Very much next to Prompto. A lot closer than where he was sitting before. Prompto resisted the knee jerk urge to scoot away. He didn’t actually want more distance between them, but that little anxiety monster in his brain yelled at him for being so close to someone this amazing.

He’s your friend. You are friends now. It is okay for this to be happening.

He wants you to be here. He wants to be right here, next to you.

Just relax into it.

“About forty minutes, no point in getting started on algebra. By the time we start making progress the pizza will be here.” Noct unpaused the game and started going through his character’s gun inventory. “Let’s try to get one more mission done.”

Noct leaned back into the couch. Their shoulders were touching now. Just barely grazing. There were a minimum of two layers of clothing each separating their skin but it still felt so incredibly intimate. So nice.

“Alright, I think I’m good with this loadout. You ready?” Noct asked.

Ah, yes. Yeah. The game. 

“Uh, lemme switch out my sniper rifle. I think I picked up a better one that does ice damage.”

Another hour passed, and Noctis remained right there shoulder to shoulder, before there was a knock on the door. The delivery girl apologized profusely for it taking longer than it should, to which Noctis told her not to fret. The security always meant adding at least 20 minutes on to the delivery time.

He handed her a cash tip, she declined because he already tipped on the app, but he insisted. For the trouble.

He was best friends with a Prince who was also a genuinely good person. 

They stood in the kitchen, hovering over open pizza boxes and discussing predictions for the next Assassin's Creed game. The casualness of it all existed in stark contrast to the surely expensive cloth napkins they were using to wipe the grease off their hands.

And they just stood there, talking, laughing, grabbing for another slice now and then, until Prompto realized his feet were getting sore. They’d been standing in the kitchen talking for over two hours.

Noct yawned.

“What do you say about one more mission and then head to bed?” He asked.

Like that wasn’t the most incredible and terrifying thing he could possibly say.

“So, we’re just giving up on studying for exams then?” Prompto asked, trying to mask how completely awkward he was feeling.

Noc waved his hand dismissively. “We can hit the books tomorrow. It’s my free day, no training or meetings or any of that junk. That cool?”

Yes. No. 

Yes he wanted to stay the night and wake up in Noct’s apartment and spend all Saturday with him doing just about anything, really, so long as they were doing it together.

No because he was terrified the more time he spent uninterrupted in Noct’s presence, the more likely he was to say or do something completely stupid or awkward that would scare him off and he’d lose his only close friend he’d ever had forever.

“You know it!” Wink, smile, thumbs up.

And that look. Again.

Sitting close, really close. Shoulders touching, their elbows brushing against each other. Completely normal thing. Very normal, no need to get so red in the face.

The mission was over way too soon. They level grinded too much before starting it, the enemies weren’t at all difficult anymore. Prompto was about to suggest one more, since it was so quick anyway, when Noct stood up to stretch.

“It’s bedtime.” He said, looking down at Prompto over his shoulder. “Come on, you can borrow some of my sleep clothes.”

Ah yes, and now he was going to stay the night in the Prince’s apartment. After the Prince bought him dinner, Prompto was going to wear his clothes and sleep in his apartment.

Very cool. Very okay. He followed Noct to his bedroom. Very normal. He gratefully took the insanely soft and warm pajamas he was offered. He changed in the bathroom. His friend bought him dinner and let him sleep over and wear his clothes. What next? Was Noct going to insist on letting him use his toothbrush? 

“Huh? Oh, don’t sleep on the couch, I’ve done that enough times to know it’s a bad time. My bed’s enormous, we can share it.” Noct said, in response to Prompto asking to use one single blanket maybe please, if that’s alright.

Just one blanket please? No, sleep with me in my amazing huge royal bed.

This was fine. Bros did this all the time. Probably. It’s only weird if you make it weird, Prompto! So don’t be weird. You’re just wearing your best friends clothes and sleeping in his bed with him right next to you after he bought you dinner. They were just being bros.

Yup.

Just bros.

Under the covers, head in the ridiculously comfortable pillow, Prompto had the sudden realization he did not know if he snored. Or talked in his sleep. Or a number of other embarrassing things the human body was capable of while the brain was happily unawares in dreamland.

Gods, Prompto, please don’t snore. 

Noct turned the light off and bundled himself into a practical cocoon of blankets. They exchanged a few thoughts between each other, mostly about their assignments in class that day and that really cute cat they saw on the way over. 

“Wish I’d gotten more photos of her before she ran off like that…..Noct?” In the darkness, Prompto could make out a few Noct’s features highlighted by the moon’s glow. The rise and fall of his shoulder, how soft he looked with his face completely relaxed, far and away from the stress of royal duty and teenage angst. A lock of his hair had gently fallen over his cheek, the tip of it lifting up and falling down in time with Noct’s breath.

Prompto found himself unconsciously matching his breathing. He rolled over from his back to face Noct, pulling the blankets up to his nose.

He couldn’t lie to himself anymore.

Prompto had it bad.

He was crushing hard on his best friend, a Prince, incredibly cool with perfect features. He could have any girl, hell, he could have anyone he wanted in the whole city.

And he decided to waste his time with Prompto. Awkward, anxiety ridden, lonely, fake, weird looking, weird sounding, stupid, commoner Prompto.

If he were a bad person, he could just move a few inches over and their lips would be touching.

Prompto squeezed his eyes shut. Get that shit out of your head. You’re going to ruin everything. Just listen to the traffic, like every night, and fall sleep. Listen to the...sound of Noct breathing.

And fall asleep.

\---

When Prompto woke up, it was around eight in the morning. He momentarily forgot where he was, but was quickly reminded when he opened his eyes and Noct was next to him.

Close.

Way, way closer than he was when they fell asleep.

Their knees were touching. The back of Noct’s hand was resting against Prompto’s chest. Did he do this? Was this his fault? Prompto made a quick check of where he was in relation to the bed. He was definitely exactly where he was when he fell asleep. So Noct was…

He probably just moves a lot in his sleep. That’s it.

Noct inhaled sharply, stretching his neck out, making his head dip further into the pillow. Then his eyes opened, looking right into Prompto’s.

“Hey.” He said.

“Heyas.” Prompto replied.

Okay, now get up, stand up on the carpet, go change back into your own clothes and be incredibly grateful that he let you borrow his. Make sure you emphasize how kind it was of him to do so. Alright. Get up. Just...get up. Sit up, then stand up. It’s a very easy thing, you’ve been doing it for over a decade now. Just...stand…

Neither of them moved.

“Did you sleep okay?” Noct asked.

“Yeah, really good.” And that was the truth. This was the nicest bed he’d ever slept in. 

“See? Told ya, way better than the couch.”

“Uh huh.” 

Get up. Get up. Get up get up get up

“Hey Prom?”

Get up get up get up “What’s up?” get up get up

“...can I kiss you?”

Get u- oh. Oh? No. He must have heard wrong.

“Huh?” Was all Prompto could manage to squeak out.

“Oh it’s just, I thought maybe you were, just the way we were sitting and, I thought- you know, so I...”

Noct was blushing, his eyes trying to look anywhere except at Prompto. He was flustered. Noct, the Prince, completely cool and awesome, was flustered. It somehow made him look even cuter. 

“It’s fine if you don’t want to, I think I just read something wrong, so anyway about break-mmm.”

Somehow, Prompto found the courage to close the distance and kiss Noct. And there was that feeling again. The some kind of way that Noct always made him feel. Like he was cutting right through every defense Prompto created to make himself seem even slightly worthy of being by his side. Like Noct could see right through him at every step and he still wanted him here. He still wanted him.

Prompto wanted to feel like this forever.

And now, with his eyes squeezed shut, their lips pressed gently together, he was either setting himself up for that, or he somehow just ruined everything.

He felt Noct’s hand rest gently on the side of his face. Gently sliding from his cheek to the back of his head. Noct’s fingers were in his hair. Noct’s hand was pulling Prompto closer to him. Noct’s knee was pushing in between his knees. Noct’s other hand was wrapping around his waist.

He had to be dreaming. This had to be a dream. It was a great dream and he didn’t want to wake up. 

Noct pulled away. Prompto opened his eyes. Noct was studying his face.

“Was that okay?” Noct asked.

Prompto couldn’t help but snort. “Dude, I’m the one who kissed you.”

Noct laughed right back. “Yeah. You did. Can I kiss you this time?”

“Uh huh.” The words fell awkwardly out of Prompto’s mouth, which was now met with Noct’s.

The second time was somehow even better. Noct’s hand was on his back, now under his shirt, fingertips grazing lightly over Prompto’s skin. How was this real? How was this really happening?

This time, Prompto pulled back. “Is this...really happening?” He asked. Not really sure what ‘it’ was, but hoping Noct would get it.

“Yeah.” Noct replied. “I think it is.”

Prompto smiled. “Cool.” He said, right as Noct moved in for round three.

Maybe at some point, he’d wake up, and he’d realize this was all just a very nice dream. But it was the best dream he’d ever had in his life. And so long as it kept going like this, as long as he could remember how this felt, he didn’t really mind. He honestly couldn’t think of anywhere else he’d rather be than right next to Noct, in Noct’s bed, wearing his clothes, being wanted by him. Feeling exactly this way.

**Author's Note:**

> @pandalots on twitter
> 
> bramblepeltao3.tumblr.com on tumblr
> 
> I love taking prompts, any time!!


End file.
